How to Moisturize Dry Hair Naturally

As you can tell by my profile picture to the right, I’m a natural hair gal. I chopped off all of my hair in November of 2012 and I haven’t looked back since. I love how free and fun my curls are, and that my hair is so versatile. What I don’t love is that it gets very dry, especially in the winter. After trying numerous products to keep my curls healthy and moisturized, I’ve found that natural items seem to help boost my coif. Two of my favorite items to use are beer and coconut milk. Yes, I said beer! Below I’ll explain why these two items are the one-two punch against the winter elements, and how to moisturize dry hair naturally with the help of some unusual ingredients.

Beer

Did you know that the ancient Egyptians used beer as a hair conditioner? No wonder Cleopatra was rumored to have such beautiful hair! Beer is such a secret weapon when it comes to encouraging your hair to look shiny and healthy. The yeast and sugar in the beer stimulates the scalp and softens the hair cuticle. The malt and hops have protein in it, which helps to repair damaged hair. The winter elements cause so much damage on my hair, so this was a great piece of information to find out.

Coconut milk

Not only is coconut milk great for your body, it does an amazing job on your hair. If you use it in hair masks, or as a conditioner, it can add protein to your hair and make it stronger. By using it as a deep conditioner, you stimulate the follicles and cause faster hair growth. Coconut milk is also a great base for a more complex conditioner. You can use it as the building block for any type of conditioner you want, or even just add your own store bought conditioner to the milk to increase the affects. I love to add pureed avocado, olive oil and tea tree oil to the coconut milk to create a protein rich conditioner that will cleanse my scalp. Plain coconut milk can also be used as a leave-in conditioner. Just place a tablespoon in your hands, rub together, and place in your hair from root to tip. This is a great way to use coconut milk in the summer to protect your hair from the sun.

How to use them in your hair:

You’ll want to start out using the coconut milk. I actually use it as a deep conditioner and co-wash on my natural hair. If you have fine hair, I suggest using it as a deep conditioner for 20 minutes, then washing it out with your favorite shampoo. Once the coconut milk is rinsed out, take flat beer (it’s less smelly if it’s flat) and pour all over your hair. Be sure to rub it into the hair and scalp. Once it’s in, let it sit for at least 2 minutes. If I’m washing my hair in the shower, this is when I put my hair in a shower cap, wash up, shave my legs, etc. Rinse the beer out with cold water. This will ensure that you close the cuticles in your hair, which will make your hair softer and shinier. It will also keep your hair from smelling like beer all day, unless you’re into that sort of thing. The best part of doing this routine is the price. If you use a cheaper beer, like PBR, and pick up a 99 cent can of coconut milk, you can do this for under 2 dollars. Since I still have a small afro, I can use half of each can and actually get this done for under a 1 each time. If you have longer hair, you may need 2 cans of beer and possibly 2 cans of coconut milk. Give it a try and come back to let us know how it worked out for you.

The beer idea makes me feel ill, because I cannot stand the smell of it. BUT – I am intrigued about the coconut milk and have heard great things about coconut OIL, which I am contemplating trying soon …

Coconut oil is great for the skin, and if you warm it up, it works a deep conditioner for your hair. You don’t have to use the beer, but I found that my curly/coily hair loves the one-two punch of both. The coconut milk and cold water wash the smell of the beer right out of your hair, so you won’t smell like it all day.

Gonna try this one. I’m always looking cheap and also natural ways to deep condition my hair. I have been using the pulp from an aloe vera leaf (purchased from grocer, Aldi has them sometimes). I cut the leaf open and scoop out the pulp, blend it and strain it through cheese cloth or a fine strainer. I add oils such as jojoba, olive, coconut or any essential oil you like. Put it in a bottle with a skinny tip bottle, like a condiment bottle and apply to scalp first and work throughout my hair. I cover with plastic bag or cap and leave it on for a minimum of 15 minutes to several hours. It has literally changed my hair! It’s so bouncy and shiny now. What a game changer. The very large leaves sell for about 99 cents in NYC. But I get about 3-4 applications from one (I am heavy handed and long hair). Great deep conditioner.